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5 thoughts on Jimmy Fallon's 'Tonight Show' debut

By Hank Stuever, The Washington Post

Posted:
02/18/2014 11:29:27 AM CST

Updated:
02/18/2014 11:29:33 AM CST

This April 4, 2013 file photo released by NBC shows Jimmy Fallon, host of "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon," in New York. Fallon will debut as host of his new show, "The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon," on Feb. 17. (Lloyd Bishop/AP Photo/NBC)

1. “Starring”: Without calling much attention to it, Fallon went back to this much more showbizzy word in his show's title — the way it used to be in Johnny Carson's day (and before). Jay Leno's show was called “The Tonight Show WITH Jay Leno.” The difference between “starring” and “with” is almost negligible, unless it signals a more profound commitment to making “Tonight” less about the desk and the interviews and more of a sketch-based variety musical hour given to the whims of improv. Which it most certainly does.

2. Theme song and set design: This was the most difficult transition for me. I miss the bangin' intro music from Fallon's “Late Night” show and I miss the polished hardwood floors of his old set. Other than that, it's a fairly standard “Tonight Show” upgrade. The Roots' new theme song (accompanied by footage from director Spike Lee that more or less resembles decades of various “Saturday Night Live” intros, in which the star ambles about a busy New York at night) is far groovier than Leno's; the “hey-hey-hey-hey” refrain reminded me vaguely of an old riff from “The Electric Company,” which I mean as compliment, not a complaint.

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3. Vertigo: Though it's got a really nice view of New York at sunset, I was deeply worried for everyone squeezed onto the 30 Rock roof for U2's performance — a small but physically active audience, a busy crew, NBC pages, Fallon himself and U2. The whole thing appeared to be one wind gust away from disaster. Jimmy, please don't take your friends to the roof. Acrophobes everywhere are begging you.

4. Two monologues, two Fallons: The first monologue featured the Jimmy Fallon who's always eager to please, whose niceness has been duly rewarded with a trophy at a school assembly, with family and (many) friends present. It verged on sappy and seemed aimed at viewers who have never, ever heard of Jimmy Fallon. It was smart of him to then dart back behind his big blue curtain and come out for a second monologue — all business, mostly Winter Olympic jokes, and fairly funny.

5. The '90s are now perfectly suitable for nostalgia trips: Do you instantly get jokes where “lesbian Screech” is the punchline? Are you sentimental for the earlier days of hip-hop dancing, circa 1991? Have you spent the last 30 years anticipating every new release by U2? Then your day has finally come, pop-culture Gen-Xer (and leading-edge millennial). Your “Tonight Show” is here.